Paul Simons Latest 96/24!!

eclein · « **on:** 14 Apr 2011, 11:16 pm »

For all you Paul Simon folks, his latest is being offered in 96/24 at HD Tracks...here is the link: (I am not affiliated with HD Tracks)
https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HD00888072328143

ted_b · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Apr 2011, 11:46 pm »

Ya beat me to it.

I love all that is Paul Simon. His last two, Surprise and You're The One (available as DVD-Audio too), are not only great albums but very nicely recorded. Even listening to the new one via Rhapsody and one can tell the audio is superb. Let's hope this 24/96 is a real plus over redbook and not some upconverted (like the latest Rush IMO) faux deal.

DavidS · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Apr 2011, 11:47 pm »

how is the music - not a huge Paul Simon fan (bigger Simon and Garfunkel) but have read everything from yawn to his best in years.

eclein · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Apr 2011, 11:51 pm »

The review I read said it was "very good", so far I've downloaded half the songs and liner notes and their is a picture of them set up in a den or something in somebodies house, all of them in the same room except for the keyboardist who's out in a sunroom or something....I thought Graceland was superb and this album has been compared to it favorably....I'll let ya know in an hour or so...LOL

ted_b · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Apr 2011, 11:56 pm »

To me his later stuff is more complex and the melodies may have 2-3 subtle tempo changes. It takes multiple sittings to get acquainted with, but lasts a long time.

Ed, could you post a spectrum from Audacity?

eclein · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 12:03 am »

Me Ed? If so I don't have Audacity that I know of.....

I read that and went "whats that!!" LOL

ted_b · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 12:38 am »

Sorry. OK, so here is an analysis of one of Pauls's songs of his new album, in 24/96 from HDTracks. (thought I'd spend $2.49 to make sure it's not an upconvert before buying the whole album in hirez)

The top pic is an fft spectrum analysis and it shows significant energy all the way up to 48k (half of 96k, which is correct). A redbook upconvert would show ebergy only to 22k and usually a brick wall fileter after that (in other words, a strict cutoff and then no energy at all). The bottom pic shows the waveform, which shows a somewhat loud slightly compressed recording (lots of peaks at max), but at least we're getting good energy and some dynamics for our $18 24/96 investment.

verdict: I'm pleased and downloading the album as I type this.

eclein · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 12:47 am »

i got ya now...this is pretty awesome so far..

the music that is....

eclein · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 12:50 am »

ted....the fourth track has some of the best natural acoustic low end I've ever heard....you'll dig this I think!!!

ted_b · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 01:41 am »

Quote from: eclein on 15 Apr 2011, 12:50 am

ted....the fourth track has some of the best natural acoustic low end I've ever heard....you'll dig this I think!!!

Ed, yeah it even showed up on Rhapsody (mp3 quality). Nice!

firedog · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 10:48 am »

More interested in hearing how you guys like the songs before I spring for the files.

BTW, in the HDTracks blurb I received via email, there was also a link to the following Bill Evans Trio album in hi-res:
https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=artistdetail&id=9559

What's interesting is that the mastering team of the Bill Evans claims to be very aware of audiophile needs, and even say they did two independent transcriptions of the analogue masters: one in 24/96 and one in 24/192. This was in order to have a "pristine" 24/96 copy to master, that would by definition be free of any possible aritifacts from a downsample of 24/192.

Don't know if that is significant as far as end result SQ, but nice to know that some one is thinking of how to make the best possible sounding hi-res file they can. Hope for the future of the medium.

nullspace · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 12:15 pm »

Paul Stubblebine, who worked on the Waltz for Debby hi-rez release, also works on the Tape Project. I think it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about SQ; I heard some of the tapes at RMAF a couple of years ago and they were sublime.

John

eclein · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 12:46 pm »

I was talking about the songs actually more so then the recording in my above posts. The music is awesome so far and I've only heard it through maybe 3 times, the recording is excellent, SQ is excellent, I'm not a drop dead Paul Simon fan and some of the stuff he's done didn't quite get me there but this one is special. Alot of music about the current state of affairs here on our world. He's got some amazingly subtle but intricate grooves that just blow my mind, he's a singer/songwriter those cats don't know grooves!! LOL...he has really taken the flavor of some of the best Graceland offered and punched it up a bit, expanded on it a bit, and created a very laid back, like wearing your favorite jeans or sweater type laid back, and taken it further. Bottom line, being a casual fan of his work up until now this album may get me looking for others in his stable of work that tweak me like this one has. I give it 5 Dancing Sunglass Guys:

ted_b · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 01:47 pm »

Ed,
Find "You're The One" (2000) in DVD-Audio (unless you don't have a DVD-Audio player). Also, Surprise (2006) is great, with a different groove, one from Brian Eno (modern but still Paul Simon). And, for his most under-rated album, Hearts and Bones (1983) is a masterpiece.

eclein · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 03:04 pm »

Got ya, just put them on my list TY........PS3 plays DVD audio right?

ted_b · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 03:24 pm »

Quote from: eclein on 15 Apr 2011, 03:04 pm

Got ya, just put them on my list TY........PS3 plays DVD audio right?

Nope! Nothing Sony ever touches plays SACD's evil enemy.

eclein · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 03:26 pm »

Oh well, I did order "Surprise"-I like eno's stuff usually...thanks Ted!!

nature boy · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 11:01 pm »

Me, I'm waiting for some Roy Orbison hi rez offerings. His Black and White Blu-ray is quite awesome.

NB

PeteG · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 11:46 pm »

Downloaded Pual Simon & Ray Davies 24/96, enjoying both.

DavidS · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Apr 2011, 02:19 am »

thanks for the mini-review guys. Sadly being a Canuck can't access HDTracks (without figuring out how to borrow a us address) so purchased the old fashioned disk today. On my cd player as I type - sounds great - my first Paul Simon cd. May have to explore some more.

My other purchase this weekend is http://brushfirefairytales.bandcamp.com/
which I did purchase as download and sounds fabulous streaming from my macbook with pure music in the mix.